I’m relatively new here and I’m still getting comfortable with the many different royals. After reading some posts in different threads I decided it would be interesting to discuss the things that the different crown princes and the one crown princess are doing to prepare themselves for their future jobs as King or Queen.

The types of schooling, special training programs, and any other things that they are involved with that seem to be helping them prepare for their future can be discussed. And also who seems to be the least prepared at this point?

The best prepared I think are Charles, Prince of Wales and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.

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I agree ysbel. Charles has had more years to prepare than perhaps any other heir and he has learned from the Queen Mum and QEII (what more can you ask?). He will make a fine ruler one day. As for Victoria, I have always liked her, and hope to see her succeed in her role. She is an outstanding you lady.

I also think Charles is the obvious choice but I hope many others will give their opinions on other royals.

I love Victoria obviously look at my avatar. However, I recently read that she doesn't actually have a degree in anything. She's done some study programs but no degree was ever received. So I wonder what is the thought on that? I think she can certainly learn all she needs to learn without an actual degree, other people do it all the time and make millions. But I hope some people more in the know than I will also give their opinions.

about Frederik, why does everyone say that he's not prepared? (from Wikipedia):

* He studied at Harvard University from 1992-1993 studying political science. He then took up a position for three months with the Danish UN mission in New York in 1994. He received an MSc in Political Science from the University of Aarhus, which he completed in February 1995.
* posted as First Secretary to the Danish Embassy in Paris from October 1998-October 1999.
* has completed extensive military studies and training in all three services, notably completing education as a frogman (Danish Frømand) in the naval special forces Danish Frogman Corps.In the period 2001 and 2002, the Crown Prince completed further training for leaders at the Royal Danish Defence College. Crown Prince Frederik remains active in the defence, and in the period 2002-2003 served as a staff officer at Defence Command Denmark, and from 2003 as a senior lecturer with the Institute of Strategy at the Royal Danish Defence College.

Frederik likes to sail and it's a fun-loving guy but it doesn't necessarily mean that he's not prepared, besides he's had the "regent" experience (like Haakon) so he's more in tune with what a King does and represent than many of his European counterparts, specially now that his mother is going on and off surgery

Much less prepared are those princes who had never had a job (even a symbolic one like Fred did) and don't have practice in diplomacy or politics, one thing is to visit countries and represent your own and another very different one is to work in an Embassy or in the ONU, the "practical" learning is much more complete that way, not to mention the gruesome physical training Frederik took (by his own will) in the Danish Navy SEAL and the fact that he's learnt a lot of things there and can lecture about it, most Princes took their military training as an opportunity to wear uniforms and I don't like that

I’m relatively new here and I’m still getting comfortable with the many different royals. After reading some posts in different threads I decided it would be interesting to discuss the things that the different crown princes and the one crown princess are doing to prepare themselves for their future jobs as King or Queen.

The types of schooling, special training programs, and any other things that they are involved with that seem to be helping them prepare for their future can be discussed. And also who seems to be the least prepared at this point?

At present she's in the Diplomat Program of the Swedish Foreign Ministry among 20 other students (started last september),a mix of both theory and practicals until this summer,ending with an internship,a draw by the Foreign Office will decide where they all end up for that.

Seen as each country requires different things from their monarch (be it King or Queen), I think that each of the respective Crown Princes, and the lone Crown Princess, are prepared to be the monarch of their own country.

Sometimes I think that the best prepared ones are ones who were born commoners - they know what life is like both at the top, and in the middle/bottom depending on where they were bron. They will have experiences that their royal husbands/wives could never have, and likewise the royal husbands/wives have experiences of royal growing-ups which they can share. So, after all that, I'm not sure who to pick!

For the rest I think that all Heirs are pretty well prepared. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume are still fairly young, of course.

Naturally the Prince of Wales, the Prince of Orange, the Prince of Asturias looks the best prepared of all:- the Prince of Wales due to the long Reign of his mother and his advanced age- the Prince of Orange due to the example of his powerful, demanding and perfectionistic mother- the Prince of Asturias also has 'live-experience' and being a close witness of a restored unstable monarchy trying to root itself again in Spanish society.

I agree with you Henri, it isn't for nothing that every now and then Belgian newspapers/ columnists etc. are making a plea for Princess Astrid as the future Queen, overlooking her brother and his children. Of course this will never actually happen, but it indicates that there is something seriously wrong with Phillipe's present role.